By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos – A league of concerned professionals who know the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Professor Tanko Ishaya has defended him against the allegation that he rigged the March 18, 2023 governorship election in Nasarawa State in favour of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The VC was the Returning Officer for the said election and since the results were announced, controversy has trailed the announcement as some women groups went naked to protest the outcome.

The group through a press conference in Jos on Friday, which text was read by Barr. Chesil Drenkat exonerated Professor Tanko of any wrong saying the grievance against him was misplaced.

Drenkat said, “Our attention has been drawn to a very wicked, malicious, and uninformed campaign orchestrated and spread on Social Media against the person and personality of Professor Tanko Ishaya, the Vice Chancellor of Uni-Jos who served during the February 25th Presidential & National Assembly Elections and the March 18th Gubernatorial & State Assembly Elections all in Nasarawa State as the State Returning Officer.

“As concerned professionals who know and can vouch for the person of Professor Tanko Ishaya, we feel compelled to rise to the occasion by not only putting issues into their proper perspective but to counter and dispel this dangerous campaign of calumny against a patriotic, forthright, God-fearing perfect gentleman…

“We submit therefore that Professor Tanko Ishaya is no stranger to money and no candidate in Nasarawa State irrespective of a political party can entice, induce or influence this man of the high pedigree with some paltry sums of money if any, most likely in Nigeria Naira to influence this principled, focused and God-fearing gentleman.

“We on the Plateau, cherish and respect Professor Tanko as an accomplished scholar, far beyond the entire value associated with the local politics in Nasarawa State. Nasarawa State politics cannot afford the price of Professor Tanko Ishaya…

“To illustrate the character and inherent qualities of Professor Tanko, at the same Nasarawa State, while on national assignment as INEC Returning officer for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, he returned as duly elected two SDP Senators in the persons of Hon. Ahmed Wadada and Hon. (Sen) Godiya Akwashiki and all others who duly won their elections.”

He challenged “all or any of the Returned winners to mention any sum of money they respectively used to influence the proclamation of their victory. Most importantly he returned to the Labour Party as the winner of the Presidential election despite Nasarawa State being the home State of the Ruling APC National Chairman and the acclaimed wealth of the Presidential candidate of the APC.

“We make bold to say that of all the Vice Chancellors who served as Returning Officers in the just concluded elections in Nigeria, Professor Tanko being a mathematician and computer scientist, will find the computation of election results as the easiest assignment owing to his skills, passion. His role was to await the final result collated and certified at the unit level in forms EC8a, at Ward level, in form EC8b, at L.G.A level in form EC8c before finally getting to him for final collation in form EC8d…

“It is therefore preposterous, reckless, and unfounded to assert or hold the erroneous notion or conclusion that this man of unwavering integrity, an incorruptible man of jonour can be or be induced by money or whatever material thing(s) to proclaim and announce a winner in the Gubernatorial Elections in Nasarawa State…”